Health Behavior Theories

Primary prevention = Engaging in actions preventing the initial occurrence of disorders or diseases by focusing on the risk factors and risk conditions, which are associated with, or cause increased susceptibility to, specific diseases. Secondary prevention= Stopping or slowing down the progress of a disease or disorder as soon as possible before medical treatment is required. Tertiary prevention = Reducing the occurrence of relapses of a chronic disease or disorder.

Identify the issue Collect information Identify possible reasons or causes Identify level of interaction Identify theory / theories that are best match Is it logical given the situation you are trying to address Is it similar to the theories other have used successfully in similar situation Is it supported by the research

Behavior change is a process that occurs in stages, Stage based model, Descriptions of a process, Explanation for movement through the process of change, Individual level theory

Stages- understand when people change Decision balance Self-Efficacy- impacts success Processes of change-understand how change occurs

-Process of weighting pros and cons (costs/benefits) • Pros= benefits of changing • Cons= cost/negatives of changing -Active in all stages -Weight of pros and cons can vary depending on stage

-Plays major role in successfulness of change -Belief in own ability to do something -Situation-specific confidence people have that they can cope with high-risk situations without relapsing

Pre-contemplation Contemplation Preparation Action Maintenance Termination

-Pre thinking stage -Don't recognize need to change/not ready to change -uninformed or under informed about negatives of behavior -past experiences: have tried to change behavior and failed

-Recognize there is a problem -Knowledge/understanding -Start thinking about change -Typically begin to act within 6 months (move from contemplations to preparation)

-Getting ready to perform behavior -Short stage, usually 1 month -Characterized by: Planning Obtaining needed skills Learning new skills Acquiring resources to change

-Plan is executed; put into action -A specific, relevant modification in behavior is made -Tends to include observable changes & be recognized and rewarded by others -To be successful, must be measured against what previously done

-Final stage of change -Prevent relapse; striving to maintain change -Focused on keeping behavior going -Work toward permanently incorporating new behavior into lifestyle

-Behavior occurring regularly -Individual is past temptation Person has 0 temptation and ability to avoid relapse Most people don't make it here -Person has self-efficacy about continuing the behavior

-Behavioral intention is the most important determinant of behavior -Intention is affected by beliefs and attitudes -Focuses on rational, cognitive decision-making process -Behavior under volitional control

-Main predictor of behavior -Extent to which someone is ready to engage in a certain behavior; likelihood someone will engage in a behavior -Influenced by: Attitude Subjective norms Volitional control

"The overall feeling of like or dislike toward a behavior; a series of beliefs about something that affects the way we think and behave" Based on: -Behavioral beliefs= belief about what will happen if they do the behavior (expected outcome) -Outcome valuations (outcome evaluations)= value placed on the outcome of the behavior, assessment of whether outcome is good or bad

"The behaviors we perceive important people expect of us and our desire to comply with these expectations -Perceived social pressure to engage or not engage in a behavior Determined by: -Normative beliefs= What is believed/perceived to be important to those who are important, What believe important people in our life expect from us -Desire to conform/comply to perceived expectations

-"The extent to which we can decide to do something, at will" -A behavior under volitional control is one in which the person is able to decide, at will, to engage in or not -In order for someone to do something it must be under their control -Some outcomes, no matter intention or how much want- not entirely under control

-Extends the TRA by adding perceived behavioral control -Concerned w/ facilitating or constraining conditions that affect intention and behavior -Particularly important for behaviors over which person has less volitional control

TRA: focuses on cognitive factors (beliefs and values) that determine motivation (behavior intention TPB: extends the TRA by adding perceived behavioral control, concerned with facilitating or constraining conditions that affect intention and behavior (very important for behaviors over which person has less volitional control)

-Behavior, personal factors, and environment factors interact with each other, and changing one changes them all -in order for a behavior to occur, a person must believe in his/her ability to perform the behavior and must perceive an incentive to do so; a person must value the outcomes or consequences that he/she believes will occur as a result of performing the behavior or action -Based on reciprocal determinism (person ?? Behavior ?? environment) -changing one changes all

Self-efficacy, observational learning, expectation, expectancies, emotional arousal, behavioral capability, reinforcement, locus of control

-Of all SCT constructs- single most important determinant of behavior -Belief in one's ability to accomplish a task -Bandura proposed this is the most important prerequisite for behavior change -Affects how much effort is invested in a task and level of performance attained

-Practice in small steps -Have a role model demonstrate -Use persuasion and reinforcement -Reduce stress associated with implementing a new behavior

-Modeling -Learning by watching others and copying their behavior (People learn what they see) -Can lead to healthy or unhealthy behaviors -Strength depends on amount of attention given to model -Most useful when model considered powerful, is well respected, or one observer can relate to

-Likely outcome of a particular behavior (Behavior impacted by expected results of the behavior) -What the person thinks will happen -Can cause to engage in a behavior or avoid a behavior -Based on: Past experiences in similar situations, emotional or physical response that occurs as a result of the behavior & observing or hearing about others in a similar situation

-Values placed on the outcome of a behavior have a magnitude (more valued outcome, more likely behavior will occur) -Whether a person thinks the expected outcome is good or likely to be rewarded -Behavior more likely to occur if expectancy is positive (behavior though to be rewarded)

-Emotional reaction to a situation and its resulting behavior -In certain situations people become fearful -Behavior becomes defensive to reduce the fear -Can increase or decrease positive behaviors -Excessive emotional arousal inhibits learning and performance

-Techniques employed by the person to control the emotional and physiological states associated with acquisition of a new behavior -Examples: Muscle relaxation, Yoga, Visual imagery, other stress management techniques

-Knowledge and skills needed to engage in a particular behavior -To perform a behavior a person needs knowledge of the behavior and the skills to perform it

-Rewards and punishments that occur in response to a behavior Rewards= positive reinforcements Punishments= negative reinforcements -Consequences of actions -Behavior occurs to receive reward or avoid punishment -Behavior results in punishment usually not repeated

-Belief regarding personal power over life events -People have a varying degrees of belief in their ability to control what happens -Greater belief in control more likely to act -Continuum form internal to external -Internal- things happen as a result of own decision and behaviors; have control over their lives and destiny -External control- forces outside govern their lives